(VOV) - A tropical storm formed in the East Sea is regaining its strength and heading for the northern region of Vietnam, according to the central weather forecast agency. At 10.00 am on Sunday, Vicente was positioned about 410km north-east of the Hoang Sa archipelago. It was packing winds gusting up to 88km per hour near its eye, and is going to strengthen to 102km per hour in the next two days.  The storm, the fourth of its kind in the East Sea, will maintain its direction in the next 48 hours and be 180km away from Quang Ninh province on July 24. It will bring strong winds and heavy rains on its way toward the northern coast. In its dispatch on Saturday, the National Steering Committee for Flood and Storm Control asked coastal provinces from Quang Ninh to Phu Yen  to be well prepared for the storm. Meanwhile, the heat wave is spreading across the northern and central regions. The hot air conditions are forecast to end on July 23, with the average temperature to drop to 32 degrees Celsius.